Electrostatic Discharge–Sensitive (ESDS) Devices

Fully assembled systems that include electrostatic discharge‐sensitive (ESDS), protected within an enclosure or housing that acts as an effective barrier to ESD, are normally no longer considered an ESDS device. ESD can often be modeled using a simple electronic circuit. The simple model works well for many simple situations, particularly where the source is a conductive material and a simple resistance and inductance can approximate the discharge path. In practice, the ESD waveform is as much dependent on the properties of the “load” circuit, which can be highly nonlinear, as on the source. The three main ESD sensitivity test models used in ESD susceptibility testing of electronic components are the human body model, machine model, and charged device model. This chapter presents some specific examples representing a small fraction of the wealth of research that has been done to understand ESD failures.